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At about 3.15 p.m. on Monday, 11th August 1980, Senior Constable O’Donoghue was on motor cycle patrol in the Maidstone area when he was fatally injured in a collision with a motor car at the intersection of Ballarat Road and Short Street.

At about 11.55 a.m. on Tuesday, 9th September 1980, Senior Constable Townsend was performing patrol duty in the Wallan area, and as he travelled along the exit ramp of the Northern Highway at the intersection with the Hume Highway, he was caught by a strong gust of wind and lost control of his machine. Both he and the motor cycle crashed to the roadway and then skidded into the railing at the side of the exit ramp. Townsend was taken to Kilmore Hospital, but was found to be dead on arrival.

At about 7.01 a.m. on Thursday, 29th October 1981, Constable Vincs was on motor cycle patrol in the Brunswick area when he was fatally injured in a collision with a motor car at the intersection of Dawson Street and Barry Street.

At about 6.15 a.m. on Friday, 27th November 1981, Constables Moynihan and Hewitt were performing patrol duties in the central business district when they became involved in the pursuit of two speeding motor cyclists in South Melbourne. The chase took them to the Caulfield area where one of the offenders was intercepted, and the other eluded pursuit, at which time the chase was abandoned. However, minutes later, Moynihan and Hewitt saw the second motor cyclist and resumed the chase. They were travelling west along Inkerman Road and as they passed through the Hawthorn Road intersection they collided with a police divisional van which had come to their assistance. The sedan containing Moynihan and Hewitt was spun around and slid more than 50 metres along Inkerman Street before crashing into a telegraph pole. Both Constables were killed in the collision.

At about 6.15 a.m. on Friday, 27th November 1981, Constables Moynihan and Hewitt were performing patrol duties in the central business district when they became involved in the pursuit of two speeding motor cyclists in South Melbourne. The chase took them to the Caulfield area where one of the offenders was intercepted, and the other eluded pursuit, at which time the chase was abandoned. However, minutes later, Moynihan and Hewitt saw the second motor cyclist and resumed the chase. They were travelling west along Inkerman Road and as they passed through the Hawthorn Road intersection they collided with a police divisional van which had come to their assistance. The sedan containing Moynihan and Hewitt was spun around and slid more than 50 metres along Inkerman Street before crashing into a telegraph pole. Both Constables were killed in the collision.

At about 11.30am on Thursday 29th January 1982, Senior Constable Stephen Edward Henry was on duty riding his motorcycle along the Hume Highway at Wandong near Seymour. Senior Constable Henry attempted to intercept a motor car being driven recklessly. Unknown to him, the man was driving a stolen car and had committed many serious offences in Melbourne during the previous two days. He was also an escapee from a Sydney Psychiatric Hospital. Senior Constable Henry received massive head wounds when shot with a high powered rifle. Although mortally wounded, the Senior Constable attempted to use his radio to alert colleagues. In fact the offender was intercepted by other police whom he fired on in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid apprehension. Senior Constable Henry died on the morning of March 1st 1982, without regaining consciousness. Senior Constable Henry joined the Victoria Police as a police cadet in February 1972, graduating on 16th October 1973. He had previously served at Collingwood and Heidelberg Police Stations and was held in very high regard by his commanders and colleagues. In 2003, two new facilities to be installed at the community hospital in Colac by the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation will be named in memory of Senior Constable Stephen Henry.

At about 11.30 a.m. on Monday, 19th April 1982, Constable Cygan was performing wide-load escort duty along Heatherton Road, Springvale, when his motor cycle skidded after running through an oil slick on the road surface. The machine failed to respond to his efforts to control it, and it slid into an oncoming vehicle, fatally injuring Cygan.

Shortly after 1am on Wednesday 16 March 1983, Constable Clare Bourke was fatally shot by a round from an off duty officer’s revolver. Constable Bourke was performing watch-house duties at the Sunshine Police Station at the time. Constable Bourke served the community of Victoria with a commitment to protect the rights and liberty of all, especially the least powerful. May those who follow in her footsteps continue to fight for an end to violence and the protection of women.

On Wednesday 22nd June, 1983, Senior Constable Lindsay Forsythe responded to a report that lights had been seen in an unoccupied house in Maldon. On arrival he was ambushed and fatally shot by a person who had been laying in wait for him.

The offender was later caught and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Victoria Police Star was awarded posthumously to Senior Constable Lindsay James Forsythe who was tragically murdered during the course of his duties at Maldon on 22nd June, 1983.

Shortly after 1.00 pm on Thursday, 27th March, 1986 a massive explosion occurred near the southern entrance to the Russell Street Police Complex, when a car bomb was detonated. As a result of this act three people were injured, damage was caused to the facade of the police building, and the central business district was thrown into confusion for hours as emergency workers struggled to cope with the disaster. Later Forensic tests showed the bomb had consisted of 50 sticks of gelignite packed into a motor car and surrounded by small pieces of metal which were meant to act as “shrapnel”.

The investigation into the setting of the bomb began at once, and continued for months. During that time two of the injured – Magistrate Ian West and Constable Carl Donadio recovered from their wounds, but Constable Angela Taylor, who had suffered extensive burns to her body, died at the Royal Melbourne Hospital on the 20th April, 1986. Within two months police charged Peter Reed, Stanley Brian Taylor, and brothers Craig William Minogue and Rodney Joseph Minogue in relation to the bombing. The motivation for their actions stemmed from a hatred of police and a desire to strike a blow at the Force in general. After a trial lasting four and a half months, Reed was cleared of the charges, although he was convicted on a separate count of attempted murder of a policeman, whilst his co-offenders were found guilty as charged and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment. All three later appealed to the full Supreme Court of the State of Victoria. Rodney Joseph Minogue had his conviction quashed, but his two companions had their appeals dismissed.

At approximately 2.15 am on Saturday, 27th September, 1986 Senior Constable Maurice Moore, was alone in a police vehicle in Brougham Street, Maryborough, when he intercepted a vehicle being pushed along the street, by two men. One man decamped prior to Senior Constable Moore’s arrival.
Moore detained the other man, and commenced to make inquiries over the police radio as to the ownership of the intercepted vehicle. Prior to a reply being received, the detained man overpowered Moore, and took possession of his .38 police issue revolver. He then shot Moore in the face and four times in the back.

The man who killed Senior Constable Moore was later convicted at the Ballarat Supreme Court of his murder, and sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

At about 6 a.m. on Saturday, 4th April 1987, Constable Clinch was one of a group of police personnel who went to a flat at 126 Lorne Street, Fawkner, to investigate a stabbing. Police surrounded the building and one of the party knocked at the front door. A man armed with a .22 calibre rifle then came out of a rear and menaced a policewoman, who fired two shots from her service revolver. At the same time Constable Clinch attempted to tackle the man, and was struck in the head by one of the bullets. Clinch was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital where his condition was found to be inoperable. He died at 2.30 p.m., Sunday, 5th April 1987, having been in a coma since the time of the shooting.

At about 12.35 p.m. on Thursday, 14th May 1987, Senior Constable Smith was undergoing motor cycle riding instructions together with five other police students. They and their two instructors were riding their motor cycles along Skenes Creek Road, 2.8 kilometres south of Wild Dog Road, Apollo Bay when Smith failed to negotiate a right hand bend, ran off the road and hit a tree, dying instantly.

At about 12.30 a.m. on Thursday, 9th September 1987, Sergeant Thompson, who was on patrol duties at the time, was conducting a routine vehicle check on the Midland Highway, North Geelong, when he was struck and killed by a passing car. The driver of the offending vehicle failed to stop at the accident scene, but was later located and charged with a number of traffic offences.

At about 4.50 am on Wednesday, 12th October, 1988, Constables Tynan and Eyre attended outside 222 Walsh Street, South Yarra, in response to a report that a suspicious vehicle had been abandoned at that location.
On arrival they were ambushed by a number of offenders who had deliberately lured police to the scene for the purpose of murdering them. Both Constables were shot at close range in the back of the head with blasts from a shotgun. As Eyre lay dying his service revolver was taken out of its holster and he was again shot in the head. The offenders then fled the scene.
An intensive police investigation was launched immediately, and a number of men were arrested and charged with murder. At the trial the alleged offenders were acquitted.

At about 4.50 am on Wednesday, 12th October, 1988, Constables Tynan and Eyre attended outside 222 Walsh Street, South Yarra, in response to a report that a suspicious vehicle had been abandoned at that location.
On arrival they were ambushed by a number of offenders who had deliberately lured police to the scene for the purpose of murdering them. Both Constables were shot at close range in the back of the head with blasts from a shotgun. As Eyre lay dying his service revolver was taken out of its holster and he was again shot in the head. The offenders then fled the scene.
An intensive police investigation was launched immediately, and a number of men were arrested and charged with murder. At the trial the alleged offenders were acquitted.

At about 9.15 a.m. on Thursday, 17th November 1988, Senior Constable Malone was driving a police vehicle along North Road, Ormond, en route to a report of “offenders on”. When he came to the railway level crossing at Ormond the boom gates were down and the warning signals were operating. He then waited until the train had passed, and moved onto the rail tracks, by-passing the warning devices. He was apparently unaware that a north bound express train was about to pass through the crossing, and despite a last minute attempt to avoid the train, a collision occurred and he was killed instantly.

At about 9.45 p.m. on Sunday, 9th April 1989, Senior Constable Dufty was on foot directing traffic at the intersection of Phillip Island Road and Churchill Road, Phillip Island. Dufty was standing in the middle of the intersection directing east bound traffic by torch when he accidentally stepped backwards into the path of a motor car and received fatal injuries. He was later flown to the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne by Air Ambulance but died whilst medical staff were attending him.

At about 11.18 p.m. on Saturday, 5th August 1989, Inspector Dickens was travelling east along the Maroondah Highway, Bonnie Doon when a head-on collision occurred between his vehicle and a private car which was travelling west on the Maroondah Highway. The police car overturned and Inspector Dickens was killed instantly.

At about 3.40 a.m. on Sunday, 12th November 1989, Constable Given was driving a police vehicle which was urgently transporting a donor heart from Essendon Airport to the Alfred Hospital. Near the intersection of Racecourse and Flemington Roads, Parkville, Given lost control of the car and it collided with a metal pole. Constable Given was killed instantly.